1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to compositions of matter which are useful as detergency builders or for water softening.
2. Description of the Art
Aluminosilicates which have high calcium and magnesium exchange rates and capacity have been added to water softening and detergent products to remove water hardness. Effective removal of calcium and magnesium ions from water, when considered in the context of detergent products, is important in that those ions can precipitate anionic surfactants rendering the former less effective in fabric cleaning. Moreover if the calcium and magnesium ions are not removed from water used for washing, these ions will interact with soils on the fabrics thus interferring with soil removal.
Water softening and detergent products utilizing the aluminosilicates which form a part of the present invention, are described in several references. For instance, Corkill et al in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 450,266, filed Mar. 11, 1974, describes the use of such aluminosilicates which are added to detergent compositions by admixing the aluminosilicate with the remaining components, or by spray drying the aluminosilicate with the remaining components of the composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,669, Krummel et al, incorporated herein by reference, describes the formulation of a detergent composition containing aluminosilicates and alkali metal silicates. In Krummel et al the silicates are present at a very low level to avoid the interaction with the aluminosilicate. This product is formed by spray drying all of the components in the composition including the aluminosilicate and the alkali metal silicate.
Further descriptions of aluminosilicate materials having utility for water softening in detergent compositions are found in Belgian Pat. Nos. 813,581 and 828,753, South African patent application No. 74/2862, South African patent application No. 74/3319, and Netherlands patent application No. 74/03383.
Materials which are suitable as organic agglomerating compounds have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,644 by Ashcraft; in U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,081, Wise et al; and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,806,001, issued on Sept. 10, 1957, said patents being incorporated herein by reference.
As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,081 agglomerates of aluminosilicates are a desirable way to incorporate aluminosilicates into detergent products. However, this invention improves the dispersibility of the agglomerates of the U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,081.
Throughout the specification and claims, percentages, parts, and ratios are by weight and temperatures are in degrees centigrade unless otherwise indicated.